WHY REJECTION LETTERS ARE NOT A BAD THING

 (by Lisa Hall-Wilson/WANNA Commons)

Some of you might think I'm crazy. Others might wonder what I put in my drink. There might even be a wild thought it might be time for me to hang up my writing pen.

But just hear me out...

While I've been writing for more than 40 years, I only became a professional writer six years ago. I try to find time for my writing every day. I've sent my "babies" out into the world and dealt with almost every kind of rejection letter out there.

The "no response at all" rejection letter .

The generic email rejection letter letting me know my story isn't the right fit.

Occasionally the personalize rejection letter with kind words of encouragement.

It doesn't matter how we receive it, getting a rejection letter can still hurt our writers' pride. And sometimes it makes us doubt our own skills as a storyteller.

But it shouldn't any more.

While we're never going to do the happy dance over being rejected by yet another agent or publisher, there ARE three treasures hidden inside each one:

THE PERSEVERANCE TEST

Becoming a published author is a long, slow process. Dues have to be paid, sincere industry connections made, and in a way, writers have to prove themselves worthy of their future audience. Writing isn't for the faint of heart or those in it for the quick buck (cuz there aren't any quick bucks to be made I'm afraid!)

THE CHANCE TO EVOLVE

Every rejection allows us to work on our presentation. Maybe our query letters need tweaking. Maybe our agent or publisher list needs updating. Even the stories themselves might benefit from a little more polishing. When we incorporate the lesson found within each rejection letter, we become stronger writers who are one step closer to that coveted book contract.

THE RIGHT TO CELEBRATE

Rejection letters make any successes we receive along the way, no matter how big or how small, all the more sweeter. They help remind us we are stronger than our temporary setbacks. They allow us to show compassion for our fellow writers when they feel their own sting from being turned down in their pursuit of publication.There is also a camaraderie which allows us to do that happy dance even for the birth of a book not of our own making.

So I say bring on the rejection letters. I KNOW in my own heart I'm a good writer. Just because one of my "babies" haven't found a home yet doesn't mean it isn't loved. And when the time is right, someone else will learn to love them as well!

A Rejection Reflection

In order to make it in the writing world, an aspiring author has to realize two things:

1. Your work is going to be "rejected" by others at some point in your career.

2. This will probably happen more often than you would like.

It can come in many forms. Sometimes the "rejection" can come by a publisher simply not responding at all to your query letter. That happened to me back in March of 2011 when I sent out my very first story into the world. I had the naive notion just because my immediate family "loved" my story that everyone else would. What a rookie mistake on my part, but one I'm sure most other aspiring authors can relate to. That publisher did me a favor by NOT taking time out of their busy work day to tell me just how unprepared I was as a writer to start submitting my work. But as I grew as a writer and learned what editors expect from the work making its way to their desks, I began to wonder if maybe what we commonly call a "rejection letter" should be called something else instead.

Rejection.

Even the sound of the word has a negative ring to it. The word implies the writer is not good enough or worthy enough to become a published author. Maybe sometimes someone just isn't cut out to be a writer and they are fooling themselves. But a lot of times a manuscript is "rejected" because a mistake was made and it was sent to an editor who doesn't publish that particular genre. Sometimes the editor has more than their fair share of one particular type of story and simply doesn't want to take on another one just like their current lineup. Sometimes the editor doesn't feel enough personal connection with the story to pursue the hard task of taking it all the way to publication. Just because someone "rejects" your story doesn't mean they are "rejecting" YOU and it doesn't necessarily mean there is anything wrong with your story either.

My manuscript for THE STORY CATCHER was "rejected" by a number of agents and editors before being picked up by Anaiah Press. My editor, Jessica Schmeidler, saw something in my story that others did not. Maybe she even saw something in ME as an writer other people haven't connected with yet. I don't know why I was lucky enough for Jessica to want to work with me, but I do know one thing...I don't like to think of those other missed opportunities to be published as being "rejected".

So I plan to do something about it.

I'd like to suggest that from now agents and publishers who reply to query letters start sending out REFLECTION letters instead of REJECTION  letters. These letters would REFLECT on the strong points of the submitted manuscripts and then give insight as to why an offer of publication or representation couldn't be made...not right for them, didn't connect with the story line, currently have similar stories, etc.

We writers should also not take those replies as REJECTION, but as opportunities to REFLECT upon our work and our roles as aspiring authors. We need to REFLECT on the strength of our stories...is it as polished as we could have made it? Are we sending our work to the right people to begin with? Are there ways we can grow as writers so we may increase our chances of becoming published in the future?

The writing world is a harsh enough place without having to struggle with the idea of feeling "rejected". How about we rename the REJECTION LETTER and start calling it the REFLECTION LETTER? I would even be willing to start a petition to get the name changed but I'm wondering one thing...

Would YOU sign it?

You've Got Mail...Or Maybe Not...

For the past three weeks I have been having a really hard time getting my mail,  No, this isn't my real mailbox.  I can't even SHOW you my mailbox because THAT is the reason why I'm not getting any mail.  It's gone. Stolen.  What the what???  Who would want an old, beat up mailbox anyway?  It wasn't exactly a collector's item.  

But it was mine.  My little connection with the outside world.  A place where everything from bills to rejection letters to wonderfully autographed children's books could make a stop at my house.  I know some people don't like things like rejection letters.  I get it.  I work so hard on my own stories...chipping away at the excess junk until all that is left is a lean, mean sparkling collection of words to tell the story I want to share. 

There are even times when I welcome those little rejection letters.  Especially when they give me insight into how to improve my writing.  I've been sending queries out like crazy this past month and the responses are coming in.  While all of them have been in the negative, ALL have been either outright encouraging or in come cases, loaded with specific suggestions on what I need to do to increase my chances of future publication.

How can I not love those rejection letters?  Now if I can just get my mailbox back...I've got some more queries to send out...